Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal was seen as a strong candidate to win the Ballon d'Or, but he finished third in the final voting, making him the youngest player ever to win the award for the first time. Yamal was expected to win his first award at the age of 19, but despite taking a step forward in his development by contributing greatly to last season's La Liga title and helping Spain win the North and Central American World Cup, Yamal was split in the voting with Rodri, leaving him in third place behind Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta said in a press conference after the ceremony that he highly praised Yamal's nomination for the Ballon d'Or and his achievements in winning the world's best young player award (Copa Trophy) for the third consecutive year. Laporta said, ``I am confident that he will definitely win the Ballon d'Or in the future.Right now, he is working hard to make that happen,'' Laporta said, expressing his hope for Yamal's motivation.
Laporta went on to comment that the results of the vote "should be taken with sportsmanship, like anything that happens in the world of sports," adding that he is confident Yamal will quickly overcome this setback and remain unaffected by the support of his teammates. He added, ``I hope this experience will motivate Yamal,'' and expressed his hopes for Yamal's future success.
Although Yamal is disappointed with this result, winning the Copa Trophy three years in a row shows his solid track record as a young player. Barcelona plans to reorganize the team around him and aim for even greater heights next season. Fans and media will be watching to see how Yamal develops in his upcoming matches and progresses on the path to the Ballon d'Or.